Cooling means for wire drawing blocks



April 28, l964 c. o. BRUESTLE 3,130,832

COOLING MEANS FOR WIRE DRAWING BLOCKS l BY to@ 1 l N# M51/ APril 28, 1964 c. o. BRul-:STLE 3,130,832

COOLING MEANS FOR WIRE DRAWING BLOCKS Filed June 24, 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. vz/e1 a. afynf' April 28, 1964 c. o. BRUESTLE cooLING MEANS RoR WIRE DRAWING BLocxs 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 24, 1960 "IH l April 2.8, 1964 c. o. BRU EsTLE COOLING MEANS FOR WIRE DRAWING BLOCKS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4` Filed June 24, 1960 ATZE/@Ufff United States Patent O .ice

of New Jersey Filed June 24, 1960, Ser. No. 38,562 8 Claims. (Cl. 205-14) The present invention relates to wire drawing blocks and particularly to means for improving the cooling of such blocks by means of a stream of air or other gas.

In the past it has been common to provide a toroidal like passageway surrounding the 'base of the blocks and spaced at some distance therefrom and a direct air blast against the block from nozzles in the toroidal structure. Since this structure was necessarily placed at some distance from the block the result was that the air became lower in velocity and did not flow as a stream over the surface of the wire on the block. Consequently the cooling effect was not great.

The present invention provides a toroidal structure hinged at a point behind the 'block and adapted to be placed over the block after the machine is strung up. As a result the passages in the toroidal structure can be spaced only a short distance from the block and the cooling effect resulting therefrom is great. In one embodiment of the invention, in fact, the structure placed over and surrounding the block is not provided with air passages, but instead the old system yof utilizing a structure at the base of the block is continued. However, in this case, the toroidal structure of my invention is modified to form a cylindrical-like bafiie plate which extends parallel to the walls of the drawing block at a short distance therefrom so that the air emitted from the torus surrounding the base of the block is confined and flows at high velocity over the turns of wire on the block.

It is the object of the invention to provide air cooling means for wire drawing blocks, whether starting or finishing blocks and to provide such a means which assures that the air passing over the wire on the block will do so at high velocity with a relatively great removal of heat from the wire.

It is another object of the invention to provide such a device which will not interfere with the normal drawing process nor with the Stringing up of the machine prior yto the performance of the drawing operation.

It is still another object of the invention to provide an air cooling means for a wire drawing block which is modified so that it may be used with the finishing or coiling block which, as is well known, has a superstructure thereon which extends upwardly for a considerable distance and makes it impractical to hinge the air supplying torus about a horizontal axis. In this case the toroidal structure is split and opens out to permit Stringing of these finishing blocks.

Other objects and features of the invention will appear when the following description is considered in connection with the annexed drawings in which,

FIGURE 1 is a plan View of one drawing block of a wire drawing machine, partly in horizontal cross section, showing the arrangement by means of which a toroidal air cooling structure is hinged for rotation about a horizontal axis and showing also means by which air is conducted from a duct running along the rear of the machine into the toroidal structure;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the device of FIGURE 1, the view being taken on the plane of the line 2-2 of FIGURE l;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary vertical cross-sectional View taken on the plane of the line 3 3 of FIGURE 1 and showing particularly the construction of the toroid e 3,130,832 Patented pr. 28, 1964 including the location of the passageway through which air is ejected;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view showing the hinging of the toroidal structure, this view being taken on the plane of the line 4-4 of FIGURE l;

FIGURE 5 is a top plan View of a modified form of my invention applicable to a finishing block. In this embodiment of the invention the toroidal structure is 'split and one-half thereof is hinged on a vertical axis so that it may be swung outwardly to give access to the drawing block for Stringing up and other purposes;

FIGURE 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the device of FIGURE 5, the view being taken on the plane of the line 6-6 of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 is a vertical cross-sectional View ofthe structure of FIGURE 5 very similarto FIGURE 6, but being taken on the plane of the line 7-7 of FIGURE 5; and

FIGURE 8 shows a modified form of my invention wherein a cylindrical bafiie structure is hinged on a horizontal axis to cooperate with the old annulus surrounding the base to cause cooling air ejected from that annulus to iiow at high velocity over wire o'n the drawing block.

Referring now to the drawings and particularly to FIG- URES 1 and 2 thereof, it will be seen that the structure comprises the usual base 10 on which a drawing block 11 is mounted forrotation by means of the shaft 12. Shaft 12 is driven in -any suitable manner not pertinent here. Extending along the rear of the machine is an air duct 13 through which 'air is applied under pressure, this air being cooled if desirable.

Mounted for rotation on 'a shaft 14 is a hollow toroidal member 15 to which air is supplied through hinge means in a manner hereafter described, from the duct 13. This air flows through the annular passage 16 and through the apertures 17, and is directed against the surface of the drawing block as well as the wire thereon. The air thus cools the block, as well as the wire thereon and tends to keep the wire at a temperature proper for the drawing operation. It will be noted that the internal diameter of the toroidal 'member 15 is but slightly larger than the external diameter of the wire on the block 11 and thus not greater than the Vdiameter of the flange at the base of the drawing block. This assures that the air ypassage between the toroidal member 1'5 of the drawing block be narrow and thereby assures that the velocity of the air through this passage is high and produces a large cooling effect.

As shown in FIGURE 3, and as is also indicated in dotted lines in FIGURE l, a notch is formed in the lower surface of toroid 15 vat the left-hand upper edge as seen in FIGURE l. This notch, designated 18, serves to provide a clear path for Vthe wire on its way from the preceding drawing die to the block. In a similar manner the lower edge 'of 'the toroid is notched at point 20, as indicated in FIGURE 1, to provide passageway for wire leaving the block on its way to the succeeding die. Since the angle at which the wire leaves the block may vary considerably, the notch on the leaving side is wider than that on the entering side as is clearly vshown in FIG- URE 1.

As was indicated hereinabove, 'the toroidal cooling members are pivotally mounted on the shaft 14. This shaft is supported by means of bearing brackets 21 which are fixed to the forward face of the air duct 1'3. Also carried by the bearing brackets 21 is a tube 22 which is concentric to shaft 14. 'Fixed to shaft 14 adjacent the outer edges of the bearing brackets 21 are arms 23 which arms are joined by rod 24 which passes under the lower surface of the extension 25 of the toroid 15. An aperture extends through the extension 25 of the toroid 15 and serves by fitting closely about the tube 22 as apivotal mounting for the toroid 15.

A section of the forward portion of tube is cut away as shown at 26 and thus an air passage is formed which extends from the duct 13, between the bearing brackets 21 and the extension 25 of the toroid 15 into the tube 22 and thence outwardly through the notched portion 26 into the hollow body of the toroid 15.

In order to cause the pivotal movement of the shaft 14 and of the toroid 15 a hydraulically operated cylinder is provided, this cylinder being arranged to actuate the shaft 14 and thus to simultaneously operate the toroids for all of the drawing blocks. As is shown in FIGURE 2, an arm 27 is fixedly mounted on shaft 14, this arm being connected by a link 28 to the piston of a hydraulic cylinder 3) which is in turn mounted by lower pivot 31 on a bracket 32. It will be obvious that when the piston is extended, the shaft 14 is rotated in a clockwise direction (as seen in FIGURE 2), and the toroid structures are simultaneously pivoted about the shaft 14 to a position shown in dot-dash lines in FIGURE 2 and designated 33.

As has been indicated hereinabove, the structure just described is particularly adapted to drawing blocks other than the finishing block. The structure is not adapted to use with the finishing block because that block extends vertically upward for a considerable distance and therefore the pivoting action about a horizontal axis would not be suitable. I have therebefore modified the structure to adapt it for use with finishing blocks; this modified structure is shown in FIGURES 5, 6 and 7.

In this case the torus is formed of two portions 49 and 41, portion 4t) being rigidly mounted on a vertical post 42. Portion 4l., on the other hand, is pivotally mounted on the vertical axis 43 which axis comprises a tube 44 suitably mounted in the bearing 45 which bearing is in turn supported in any suitable manner, as for example, by means of the vertically extending shaftlike member 46. Tube 44 is mounted adjacent to the air duct such as 13 and a passageway extends from that duct into the center of the tube 44, the passage comprising a notched out portion of the tube as indicated at 47.

Torus portion 41 has an extension 48 thereon which, as has been indicated, is provided with a vertically extended aperture which serves as the pivotal mounting for the torus. The cutout portion 50 in the left-hand edge of vertically extending tube 44 provides a passageway by means of which air can flow from the tube into the torus extension 48 and thence into the torus proper.

As in the structure previously described, air flowing through the apertures 51 is directed against the face of the finishing block to cool the Wire thereon as well as the block face. Both of these cooling actions serve, of course, to reduce the temperature of the wire and maintain it at a desired level.

Suitable means are provided for retaining the toroid portion 41 in its position adjacent the finishing block. As shown this means comprises fingers or ears 52 and 53 extending generally radially outward from the toroid portions 41 and 40 respectively, together with a clamp member 54 which engages these ears and holds them in position adjacent each other.

It will be obvious that if desirable the fixed toroidal section 40 may be supported at a point other than the point 42. For example, a tubular support 55, FIG. 5, may be utilized and welded as indicated to the outer surface of the toroidal structure 40.

On the other hand, if desirable, the structure 55 may be omitted and the pivot point 42 may be constructed in the same manner as the pivotal structure 43, thereby providing for pivoting action of both portions 4t) and 41 of the toroid. As in the case of the toroid described in connection with FIGURES l to 4, a notch is provided in the lower edge to permit wire from the preceding drawing die to pass to the drawing block. No notch is, however, required on the opposite side of the finishing blocks since wire does not pass from such a block but if rather accumulates on the rod superstructure of the block designated 56 in FIGURES 6 and 7.

A second modification of my invention is shown in FIGURE 8. In this case the invention is shown as adapted for use with drawing blocks rather than finishing blocks. It will, however, be understood that a similar but split structure, a portion of which is arranged to be pivotally mounted on a vertical rather than a horizontal axis may be utilized in connection with a finishing block. FIGURE 8 shows annular chambers 60 into which air is admitted and from which such air ows through apertures 6i and is directed against the block and the wire thereon.

This arrangement of the annulus is one which has been in use for some time, but which has not proven entirely satisfactory, since the annulus must necessarily be at a considerable distance from the face of the drawing block and, therefore, the air velocity decreases rapidly and since the air is not conned to the space adjacent to the face of the block, the cooling effect is largely dissipated.

By means of the present invention a cylindrical baffle member 62 is mounted on a shaft similar to the shaft 14 and therefore designated by the same reference numeral. This shaft is pivotally mounted in suitable bearings which are, in turn, mounted in brackets 63` on the exterior face of the duct 13. Shaft 14 may, `of course, be operated in the same manner as was described hereinabove in connection with shaft 14 yof FlGURES 1 t0 4. The baffle or shield 62 serves to provide a narrow passageway through which air from Ithe apertures or nozzles 6i is caused to flow upwardly thereby passing with a relatively high velocity over the face of the drawing block and the wire thereon.

This passage of air, suitably cooled if desirable, serves to retain the wire at a desired temperature. Although the use of the shield member 612 does not have all of the advantage provided by the use of the hollow toroidal-like members hereto-fore described, it has many of those advantages and does serve to retain the wire temperature at a desired level.

While preferred forms of my invention have been described, .it will be understood that -I wish to be limited not by the foregoing description, `but solely by the claims granted to me.

What is claimed is:

1. Cooling means for the drawing blocks of wire drawing machines, comprising, in combination; a duct for cooling gas extending along the wire drawing machine adjacent the drawing blocks thereof; la substantially cylindrical structure adapted to be positioned to encircle each drawing block, substantially concentric therewith said cylindrical structure having an axial extent covering a major portion of the axial extent of the drawing block; a toroidal gas passage concentric with each drawing block, means to inject gas from said toroidal passages against the external surface ofthe drawing blocks to cause cooling gas to flow over the surface of the drawing blocks iand wire thereon while confined to the narrow passageway between said cylindrical structures and the drawing blocks and means for simultaneously removing said cylindrical structures from encircling position about said drawing blocks to permit string-up of the drawing machine.

2. Cooling means for wire drawing blocks in accordance with claim 1 wherein the internal diameter of said cylindrical structure is no greater than the external diameter of the associated lwire drawing'block at its base.

3. Cooling means for wire drawing blocks in accordance with claim l wherein said means for simultaneously removing said cylindrical structures comprises a pivotal shaft perpendicular to the axes of the drawing blocks, means mounting said cylindrical structures on said shaft and common operating means for pivoting said cylindrical structures to expose the surfaces `of the wire drawing blocks and permit string-up of the drawing machine.

4. Cooling means for wire drawing blocks in accordance with claim 3, wherein each said cylindrical structure forms the inner wall of the corresponding toroid and wherein air passes from said duot into said toroids and is `ejected through apertures in said inner wall against the exterior surface of the drawing block and the wire thereon.

5. Cooling means for wire drawing blocks in accordance with claim 4 wherein said pivotal mounting for each said toroid comprises an extension on said toroid adjacent `said duct said extensions being mounted on tubular supports, said supports having openings in the cylindrical wall thereof communicating with the toroids whereby air from sa-id duct flows into the ends of said tubular supports and flows through said wall openings into said toroids.

6. Cooling means for wire drawing blocks in accordance with claim 5 wherein said common operating means comprises pairs of `arms mounted on said shaft adjacent each toroid extension and :a bar extending between each pair of arms underlying the corresponding toroid extension, whereby pivotal movement of said shaft causes` said toroids Ito be simultaneously removed from position encircling the corresponding drawing block.

7. Cooling means for the \wire drawing blocks of a Wire drawing machine, comprising, in combination, a duct for cooling air extending along the drawing machine adjacent the drawing blocks, bearing arms mounted on said cooling duct each pair of bearing arms being adjacent and to the rear of one of the drawing blocks, a tubular member supported in each pair of bearing arms, a plurality of toroids each having a rearward extension, said toroids normally being each concentric with its corresponding drawing block `and an aperture in each said rearward extension pivot-ally mounting said toroid on a corresponding tubular member said tubular members being open at the ends and having a por-tion cut out of the cylindrical wall there-of to thereby transmit .air from said duct into said extension and toroid, an operating shaft supported in said bearing arms `and extending parallel to the duct structure and perpendicular to the axes 'of the drawing blocks, .a pair of operating arms lixed to said 4shaft on either side of each -rear exten-sion of said toroids, a bar joining each pair of arms and underlying said rearward extension, operating means for pivotally moving said operating shaft to thereby raise said toroids 1away from the corresponding drawing blocks and apertures in the inner peripheral walls of said toroids adjacent the surface of the corresponding drawing blocks, said apertures serving to eject air at high velocity against the surface 4of the drawing blocks 'and the wire thereon.

8. Cooling means vfor a wire drawing block in accordance with claim 7 wherein said operating means for said toroids comprises an arm fixed to said shaft, a link pivotally connected to said arm and a hydraulic cylinder having a piston therein connected to said link whereby said cylinder serves to raise .and lower said toroids about the corresponding drawing blocks.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS :1,828,922 Carroll Oct. 27, 1931 `2,185,416 Morgan et al I an. 2, 31940 2,192,898 Dfirnond Mar. 12, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS 531,885 Germany Aug. .17, 193,1

407,858 Great Britain Mar. 23, 1934 

1. COOLING MEANS FOR THE DRAWING BLOCKS OF WIRE DRAWING MACHINES, COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION; A DUCT FOR COOLING GAS EXTENDING ALONG THE WIRE DRAWING MACHINE ADJACENT THE DRAWING BLOCKS THEREOF; A SUBSTANTIALLY CYLINDRICAL STRUCTURE ADAPTED TO BE POSITIONED TO ENCIRCLE EACH DRAWING BLOCK, SUBSTANTIALLY CONCENTRIC THEREWITH SAID CYLINDRICAL STRUCTURE HAVING AN AXIAL EXTENT COVERING A MAJOR PORTION OF THE AXIAL EXTENT OF THE DRAWING BLOCK; A TOROIDAL GAS PASSAGE CONCENTRIC WITH EACH DRAWING BLOCK, MEANS TO INJECT GAS FROM SAID TOROIDAL PASSAGES AGAINST THE EXTERNAL SURFACE OF THE DRAWING BLOCKS TO CAUSE COOLING GAS TO FLOW OVER THE SURFACE OF THE DRAWING BLOCKS AND WIRE THEREON WHILE CONFINED TO THE NARROW PASSAGEWAY BETWEEN SAID CYLINDRICAL STRUCTURES AND THE DRAWING BLOCKS AND MEANS FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY REMOVING SAID CYLINDRICAL STRUCTURES FROM ENCIRCLING POSITION ABOUT SAID DRAWING BLOCKS TO PERMIT STRING-UP OF THE DRAWING MACHINE. 